Swansea City earned a great victory over Arsenal two weeks ago, but I wanted to await the outcome of last week’s fixture away to Sunderland before making comment. It was no suprise they lost 0-2 to the Black Cats. Swans manager Brendan Rodgers was stunned by the result claiming his team had the lion’s share of the possession while playing delightful football.
I believe Rodgers was drinking the cool aid and basking in the plaudits showered on his team by the national media, not least of all the Daily Telegraph, following their win over Arsenal. The Swans passing style has often been compared to Champion League holders Barcelona. Total football aka the Dutch national side of the seventies has also been thrown around sports desks.
They create passing triangles around the field which admittedly assists retention of the ball and frustrates the hell out of the opposition. However the team does not have a cutting edge in the final third of the field. Passing triangles encourage passing back to the goalkeeper whereas a defense splitting pass seldom materializes from the geometric shape. If we must make silly comparison with Barcelona let’s absorb this statistic: following completion of 17 games in their respective leagues the Swans had scored a meager 18 goals compared to Barcelona’s 50. Furthermore their defense records were almost identical.
Rodgers lamented that his side were beaten by two long range efforts from Sunderland. I’m sorry Brendan but isn’t the game primarily concerned with scoring goals and not weaving pretty patterns around the field? The Swans rarely attempt a shot at goal beyond the 18 yard line which severely reduces their options for scoring.
The late great Danny Blanchflower, captain of Tottenham Hotspur’s league and cup double winning side in 1960-61, often reminded people that it only took a second to score a goal. Regrettably Swansea’s goalkeeper sees far more of the ball via back passes than their striker Danny Graham.
Don’t forget that for all their possession against Arsenal they only won the game 3-2 clinging on at the end with the crowd begging the referee to blow the final whistle. The two goals conceded were the result of a full back being exposed to a counter attack. Rangel and Taylor were constantly supporting the attack down the flanks only to regularly lose possession. They were left stranded out of position with no cover. Ashley Williams played like a maverick; one minute he was breaking up Arsenal attack’s and the next he was seen charging up the field leaving his partner Caulker having to perform a version of the boy sticking his finger in the leaking dyke to stem the flow of water.
I was never very good at geometry and perhaps the site of triangles remind me of having my knuckles rapped with a ruler in maths class by an odious teacher who was universally known as “Grunter.” Rodgers also need to be wary of the patronizing comments from fellow managers. “Oh, they play very attractive football and they are far too good to go down.” In other words, the Swans can take one of the relegation spots which gives their team a better chance of avoiding the drop.
By all means keep playing attractive football, but I just wish they would add a touch of steel in the shape of a cutlass at the back and one or two rapiers up front. As my son suggested the other day; if the football gods had offered me 13th place for the Swans at this stage of the season I would have bitten their hand off and gleefully accepted. All I’m suggesting is don’t get carried away with the hype. So come on you Swans!
I’m with Shaun. We beat Arsenal at their own game. Yes, the Swansea defence let in 2 goals, but the Arsenal defence let in 3. Swansea are holding their own, and if I recall several prophets of doom were predicting that they wouldn’t even stay up this season.
Its good to enjoy the success in a city that is struggling economically.
Another two points dropped against 10 men Chelsea. Taking into account the two thrown away against Wolves earlier in the season when the Swans were leading 2-0 with 10 minutes left, they should be in a much safer position. Bear in mind who they play in the last two games of the season: Liverpool and Man Utd.